High school vs preparatory school

[skyway]

Hi everyone!
In our educational system:
Elementary school; grade level: (1-2-3-4-5-6); age: from 6 through 12
Middle school; grade level : (1-2-3)
Age from 13 through 15
The last one has three grade levels. Age from 16 through 18.

*My question is that :
1. what is the last one called according to this classification ? Is it high school or preparatory school? Or what?
2. What is each of the three grade levels called?
*Note: this classificatin is in an arabic country. I'm really confused. They somestimes call the last year 12 and somestimes 6th preparatory!!!which is confusing!
*plus, we might find 10 year or 4th grade( for the first grade of high/preparatory school)
Please answer the two questions according to the mentioned classification.
Thanks in advance

 

[sdgraham]

Our dictionary should help you:
preparatory school - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
high school - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

 

[velisarius]

I'm not sure I agree with the WR Collins dictionary definitions of "high school". As far as British usage us concerned, I'd say "high school" would be understood in a non-British-system context as "secondary school" (ages from about 11 up to 16 or 18 years).

 

[natkretep]

I might call Years 1-6 primary school; Years 7-9 lower secondary school; and Years 10-12 upper secondary school.

'Preparatory school' or prep school is potentially confusing because in the UK they refer to primary schools preparing pupils for particular prestigious secondary schools.

I'm familiar with systems that start the year numbers at secondary school and those that continue the numbers in sequence.

 

[kentix]

Every country makes their own rules about school and what to call the different parts. There is not just one answer for English because it's a question about culture and not language. Things even vary within the United States and within states in the United States.

In the United States, prep school is generally a term used to refer to a private high school focused strongly on academics that has a large number of its students get accepted to prestigious universities. It's preparation for getting accepted to an upper level university.

Most children that age just go to public high school. Some go to private high schools that aren't prep schools because they don't have that focus on very high level academics. They are more like regular public schools but they might be run by the Catholic Church, for instance. They accept students of all academic levels.

 

[skyway]

Every country makes their own rules about school and what to call the different parts. There is not just one answer for English because it's a question about culture and not language. Things even vary within the United States and within states in the United States.

In the United States, prep school is generally a term used to refer to a private high school focused strongly on academics that has a large number of its students get accepted to prestigious universities. It's preparation for getting accepted to an upper level university.

Most children that age just go to public high school. Some go to private high schools that aren't prep schools because they don't have that focus on very high level academics. They are more like regular public schools but they might be run by the Catholic Church, for instance. They accept students of all academic levels.

I as far as I know, in the US system, I should call it (Senior High=the school that has the last three grades before college), am I correct?
But you didn't answer my question according to the mentioned classification. (above)
Is it OK to say, " He's in 6th preparatory" when I mean the last year before college according to any English speaking country?
Many thanks

 

[kentix]

We have no system like that here. 6th preparatory means nothing in the United States. We have grade 1 through grade 12 in almost all schools. The year before college here is 12th grade.

 

[skyway]

We have no system like that here. 6th preparatory means nothing in the United States. We have grade 1 through grade 12 in almost all schools. The year before college here is 12th grade.

Is " He's in 6th preparatory" correct in British English? (According to the last three grades before college)

 

[Myridon]

I as far as I know, in the US system, I should call it (Senior High=the school that has the last three grades before college), am I correct?

It varies a lot. Usually, "senior high school" would be used of a school that is only grades 11 and 12 when grades 9 and 10 go to "high school". There has to be some school that's called just "high school" for there to be a "senior high school."

 

[skyway]

I might call Years 1-6 primary school; Years 7-9 lower secondary school; and Years 10-12 upper secondary school.

'Preparatory school' or prep school is potentially confusing because in the UK they refer to primary schools preparing pupils for particular prestigious secondary schools.

I'm familiar with systems that start the year numbers at secondary school and those that continue the numbers in sequence.

Is " He's in 6th preparatory" correct in British English? (According to the last three grades before college)

 

[natkretep]

Is " He's in 6th preparatory" correct in British English? (According to the last three grades before college)

As I said 'preparatory' doesn't work in BrE. You could say he's in Sixth Form in England (but that refers to the last two years of school).

 

[RM1(SS)]

There has to be some school that's called just "high school" for there to be a "senior high school."

No there doesn't. "Junior high school" and "senior high school".

 

[LVRBC]

In most of California, it's currently:
Elementary School: kindergarten ( age 5) through 6th grade (age 11)
Middle School (aka Junior High) 7th, 8th, and sometimes 9th grade (ages 12-13 or 14)
High School ( I haven't heard people say "senior high school," but US English is extremely regional and I am sure it's in use in places,) grades 9 or 10 through 12.
Students in 9th grade are called freshmen, those in 10th grade are called sophomores, those in 11th grade are called juniors, and those in 12th grade are called seniors. (ages 14 or 15 through 17) Ages refer to approximate age at start of school year, which runs late August to June; many students will have birthdays during the year. There will be a cut-off date, typically early in December, and students born after that date will have to wait for next year, so to speak.

*In answer to your question about what to call the levels in your own system, I would recommend doing just what I have done: give the local term, in your case translated to the nearest English equivalent, and then describe and explain. There are no terms that will be universally applicable across different systems and countries.

 

[Toby Sherman]

No there doesn't. "Junior high school" and "senior high school".

I'm not sure I understand this answer. To my knowledge, while around here (New York City), there are some schools that call themselves "intermediate schools" and some call themselves "junior high schools", they both teach pupils in grades 6, 7, and 8. Meanwhile, students in grades 9 through 12 go to "high schools." All of the high schools near me are called "high schools", while none is called a "senior high school".

 

[Myridon]

No there doesn't. "Junior high school" and "senior high school".

"Junior high school" would be another thing called "high school." My point was that there wouldn't be "middle school" then "senior high school."